Holdback.



No. 665,936. Patented Ian. I5, 190i.

ra a-saunas HOLDBACIL.

Appliution fl led June 1, 1900.)

(N0 Modal.)

, I x7e, ion

October 3, 1899, No. 636,188.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL D. SOHALLER, OF LOWELL, NEW YORK.

HOLDBACK.

SJEJEGIIJL IGATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 665,936, dated January 15, 1901.

Application filed June 1, 1900. Serial No. 18,758. (No model.)

[0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL D. SCHALLER, a citizen of the United Slates, residing at Lowell, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and useful I-Ioldback, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hold-backs, and is particularly designed to improve the construction shown in my former patent, granted It is furthermore designed to facilitate the engagement of the looped portion of the breeching or holdback-strap with the present device and to arrange the parts thereof so that the strain upon the breeching tends to hold the latter more firmly upon the device, and thus preclude the possibility of disengagement thereof, and, finally, to arrange the parts of the device so as to have the latter free from projections which might catch in the breeching and prevent the proper disengagement thereof.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accom panying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended claim it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved holdback secured in position upon a thill. Fig. 2 is'a bottom plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the hol-dback. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the pivotal strap-engaging finger. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of the attaching-plate. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the inner end of the device. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts are designated bylike characters of reference in all of the figures of the. drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the fiat attaching-plate, which is provided with the opposite countersunk openings 2 for the reception of suitable fastenings 3, whereby the plate may be attached to the under side of a [hill 4, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. At the inner edge of the plate are provided the opposite pendent lugs or shoulders 5 and 6, and intermediate of the latter there is provided an opening or perforation 7. Opposite the rear shoulder 5 and located somewhat in rear thereof is a pendent gnardfiange 8. Extending transversely across the plate and just in advance of the guard-flange 8 is a strap-engaging finger or pin 9, the outer end of which projects beyond the guard-flange to form a finger-piece for conveniently operating the pin orfinger. The inner end of the finger is enlarged transversely, so as to form a bearing eye or sleeve 10, which is located between the lugs or shoulders 5 and 6, so that the opening of the sleeve may correspond with the perforation 7 in the plate for the reception of a pivotpin 11, which has a reduced inner end that fits the perforation in the plate. The outer end of the pivotpin is provided with an enlarged and rounded head 12 to hold the finger to the attachingplate, and the inner end of the pin is upset against the upper side of the plate, as indicated at 13 in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The forward side of the bearing-sleeve of the finger is provided with a forwardly-extending projection 14, which is designed to contact with the outer side of the adjacent lug 6, so as to limit the rearward movement of the tinger. Diametrically opposite the lug 14 is another lug 15, which is designed to engage the inner side of the lug 5, so as to form an additional stop to limit the rearward movement of the finger. By this relative arrangement of the projections with respect to the lugs or shoulders of the plate the finger may be swung forwardly, and the forward limit thereof is had by the engagement of the finger with the forward lug of the plate.

In order that the finger may be normally held at its rear limit, a coiled spring 16 is housed within the bearing-sleeve of the finger and encircling the pivot-pin. One end 17 of the spring is received within a notch or opening 18in the upper portion of the bearing-sleeve, While the opposite end 19 projects outwardly through a slot in the sleeve and bears against the inner face of the forward lug 6 of the at taching-plate, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2 Ioo of the drawings. By this arrangement of the spring the latter is housed and protected, and

a tension is placed upon the finger to yieldably hold the latter at its rear limit and to permit of the finger being forced forwardly upon its pivotal connection with the plate.

As indicated in Fig. l of the drawings, the holdback is secured to the under side of the thill, with the free end of the finger upon the outer side thereof, so that the holdbac'krstrap or breeching 20, as indicated in dotted lines, may be conveniently looped over the finger from the free outer end thereof. It will now be apparent that the finger projects beyond the guard-flange, so as to facilitate the engagement of the looped end of the breeching, and the free end of the finger also provides a finger-piece for manually operating the finger should it become necessary. By refer ence to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the finger inclines rearwardly and outwardly across the thill, so that the breeching, which inclines inwardly from the holdback, may draw firmly and evenly upon the finger, and the direction of the strain is inwardly toward the pivotal connection of the finger, which precludes the possibility of accidental disengagement of the breeching. The purpose of the guardfiange 8 is to prevent outward displacement of the breeching when the latter is slack. In my former patent the finger extended at right angles across the thill, and the breeching had a twisted and uneven connection with the finger; also, the forward guard-finger interfered with the engagement of the breeching and also formed a projection with which the breeching was liable to become engaged when the animal was freed from the vehicle. This difiiculty has been obviated by dispensing with the forward guard-flange, so that the forward side of the finger is free from projections which might interfere with the engagement and disengagement of the breeching. As indicated in Fig. 6, the opposite outer edges of the lugs 5 and 6 are rounded or beveled inwardly toward .each other and merge into the lower side of the finger, so as to afiord no projections to interfere with the breeching.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides an exceedingly simple and useful holdback, which is arranged to facilitate the engagement of the looped end of the breeching and to preclude the possibility of accidental disengagement, while at the same time permitting and insuring the quick disengagement of the breeching, from the device; also, as shown in Fig. 2, the guard-flange 8 is located adjacent to but not in engagement with the free end of the finger, so that the latter does not have to be drawn away from the guard to apply the breeching, and at the same time said guard is designed to form a brace for the finger should the latter be flexed by an abnormal strain.

What is claimed'is A holdback,comprising an attaching-plate, having a pendent guard-flange located at its outeredge and at the rear end thereof, a pendent stop-lug at the inner edge of the plate, a spring-actuated strap-engaging finger, having its inner end pivoted to the inner edge of the plate, and provided witha stop projection for engagement with the lug to limit the rearward movement of the finger, the latter being inclined transversely outward and rearwardly across the plate, projecting trans versely across the front of and also outwardly beyond the guard-flange, the free end of the finger being adjacent to but out of contact with the guard, and the plate being free from v projections in advance of the finger.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL D. SGHALLER.

Witnesses:

STODDARD M. STEVENS, E. B. SMITH. 

